Q. What is the difference between the RPF and the GRP?The RPF (Railway Protection Force) and the GRP (Government Railway Police) have different functions. The RPF is a security force directly under the union government's Ministry of Railways, and its primary responsibility is to safeguard and protect railway property, including rolling stock, the permanent way, and station or yard premises, from damage or sabotage and to investigate incidents of vandalism, theft, etc., of IR assets and property entrusted to it (i.e., freight).The GRP, on the other hand, is a police organization...more...

under the control of the state government in each state, and its primary mission is the maintenance of law and order and ensuring passenger safety on board trains and on IR property. Thus the GRP concerns itself with robberies or other criminal incidents on board trains or on railway premises, missing persons, injuries or deaths in connection with the railways, and has police powers in each state to arrest persons, register criminal cases, etc. (Such police powers for enforcing local law and order are constitutionally not available to any body acting under the control of the union government.)